Meridian Gold Mine in Esquel, Argentina

March in Esquel in 2013 comemorating the victory stopping the project in 2003
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Read about the first town in Argentina whose inhabitants' strong mobilization forced a municipal plebiscite that stopped a mining project and fostered regulatory changes in the municipality and province. This is a key EJ struggle in Argentina.

Description

El Desquite mine is only 7 km (4 miles) from the city of Esquel, in the Patagonian north-west province of Chubut. The city, the largest in the area, is located by the Esquel River and surrounded by the mountains La Zeta, La Cruz, Cerro 21 and La Hoya. The city name comes from a Mapuche word meaning "thorn" that refers to thorny local plants and the thousand year-old lenga and nire forests (two of the several Patagonian trees unique to the area). Beginning of 2002Meridan Goldbought the mine site of dore, a gold and silver alloy. Its exploitation was supposed to begin in January 2003: with two explosions a day, every day of the year and for 10 years.

The local population was highly suspicious towards the information provided by the company and the government. The Environmental Impact Assessment, published in October 2002 by the mining company, was questioned. The inhabitants of Esquel started to spontaneously gather, to debate and to share their concerns, their knowledge and information about the consequences of mining and the use of cyanide. They finally settled by mid-November 2002 as the Assembly of neighbors self-convened (Asamblea de vecinos autoconvocados AVA). The AVA brought together people from diverse backgrounds, qualified professionals but also people from marginalized districts. They organized numerous marches and also networked with national and international organizations and institutions [1]. In February 2003, the City Councilagreed on some of the ordinances promoted by the AVA: it prohibited the use of cyanide in Esquel and called for a local non-binding referendum on the mining undertaking.

The local referendum on March 23rd, 2003, expressed 81% of the votes unfavorable to the mine. The project was abandoned a few days later.

In 2006 Meridian Gold brought a court action in Buenos Aires against six members of the AVA for having openly disseminated and released on the local radio a record of Meridian gold staff meeting. The record revealed the company’s links with provincial and federal politicians while they expressed their willingness to oppose the local referendum results [2]. The company’s unchanged plans to exploit soon or later its mining concession remain a concern for Esquel population. Their opposition didn’t change at all the Provincial political direction, and Chubut’s number of mining concessions kept on increasing. As for instance in May 2006 Esquel population had to mobilize once again against Minera Huemules who was going to exploit the gold mine field of Huemues [3].

Overall Esquel’s struggle became an outstanding example for other Argentinean municipalities opposing mining projects. By 2007 six Argentinean Provinces banned the use of cyanide in ore mines.

In 2018, there is a Provincial struggle to avoid a Provincial zoning that would allow the development of mining activities.

The use of 6 tons of cyanide a day to extract the precious Argentine gold. The 26.600 tons of cyanide used over 10 years for the extraction operations: 180 tons a month of sodium cyanide and other chemicals, such as 12 tons of chloridic acid, 12 tons of caustic soda, 1.400 Kg of litharge and so on. The use of about a million litres of water a day.

Some years after Esquel plebiscite the project was bought by Yamana Inc. under the name of Minas Argentinas S.A. they have changed the mining project to "Suyai".

Indigenous groups or traditional communities International ejos Local ejos Local government/political parties Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Women Local scientists/professionals

Forms of Mobilization

Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Objections to the EIA Public campaigns Referendum other local consultations Street protest/marches

Potential: Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors, Displacement, Increase in violence and crime, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Militarization and increased police presence, Land dispossession, Social problems (alcoholism, prostitution, etc..), Specific impacts on women, Loss of landscape/sense of place

Outcome

Project Status

Stopped

Pathways for conflict outcome / response

Institutional changes New legislation Project cancelled After the referendum the company decided to stop the project.

Development of Alternatives

The local community rejected the project.

Since November 2002 they initiated the Assembly of neighbors self-convened (Asamblea de vecinos autoconvocados AVA) and called for a local non-binding referendum (consulta).

They obtained changes in municipal and provincial regulations limiting the use of toxic chemicals in mining. Esquel example fostered a wave of anti-mining regulations in other provinces. A national network of communities affected by mining was created.

Do you consider this as a success?

Yes

Why? Explain briefly.

The population opposed to the project in a referendum on 23 March 2003. Although it was non-binding, the Province government and the company announced a few days later the interruption of the project.

Sources and Materials

Legislations

International Labour Organisation (ILO) Indigenous and Tribal People Convention 169